Jarome Iginla spoke from the heart while looking back with wonderment and appreciation over a Hall-of-Fame career that started in St. Albert.
“I remember starting hockey at age seven, going into my first tryout dreaming how great it would be and it’s been even better. These 20 years in the NHL has been better,” said a joyful Iginla during Monday’s retirement farewell at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
“It’s an amazing job,” said the fan favourite known as Iggy. “Hockey has been great in the NHL, it’s spectacular, but it was always fun growing up through minor hockey. Some of my best friends are from those days and I appreciate all the support over the years throughout my career and sharing the dream with me.”
Iginla, 41, fondly recalled his humble beginnings in the sport in which he would become a star.
“I was put in the worst league. I wasn’t very good when I started,” said the two-time gold medallist with Team Canada in three Olympic Winter Games. “The cards were stacked against me. My grandpa (Rick Schuchard) took me to my first tryout even though (I had) no jersey, no socks. I skated around and everyone has theirs. They’re good players, they’ve been playing for years, and this is my first time.
“My grandpa had to run and get me a jersey from the sports store in St. Albert so I was out there wheeling around and he brought back one. I wasn’t that thrilled to get it. It was a Calgary Flames. It was the last one left at the time.
“I think not wearing a jersey to start and a Flames jersey after worked against me and I ended up in the worst league, but I played in St. Albert and it was a great minor hockey strong program and I appreciate it. I would like to say thank you to them and all the coaches and great players that I played with. I have some friends here that I started playing with at age nine.”
It was fitting the heart and soul of the Flames during 16 seasons as the face of the franchise as No. 12 would officially announce his retirement in Calgary.
“I was so excited to be here with my family and share it with everybody and to come back to the city of Calgary and say thank you. This is home. To come back to Alberta, to be here and say thank you to the fans and to a great organization that is the Calgary Flames. So many great memories.
“Thank you so much for embracing me at 18 years old as a city,” said Iginla, who grew up playing in the “strong minor hockey program” of St. Albert while cheering for the Edmonton Oilers.
“To get to play in Alberta was a real treat. To be on the right side of the battle of Alberta, right?
“But seriously, it’s an amazing group. The fan knowledge here, your passion for the game, it has made it an amazing place to play and to live and start a family.”
Iginla’s NHL debut with the Flames was April 21, 1996 in Game 3 of the opening playoff round against the Chicago Blackhawks.
That morning Iginla had flown into Calgary the day after his Western Hockey League season ended with the Kamloops Blazers, followed by the season-ending “team bonding” party, and within hours the right winger had signed his first NHL contract.
“They told me I was not going to play,” Iginla recalled of the initial conversion with the Flames before heading to Calgary. “It was so surreal getting the chance to go there and within 12 hours I’m playing with Theoren Fleury on a line (and) German Titov, playing against (Chris) Chelios in the corners, face-offs against (Jeremy) Roenick, shooting on Ed Belfour, it was almost like a video game. It was so surreal and it was something that I will never, ever will forget. The passion, the energy.”
Iginla assisted on Fleury’s goal in Game 3 and in Game 4 lit the lamp for the first of 662 goals in 1,635 career playoff and regular-season games.
“As a forward I loved to score goals, there is no question about that, and I got to score a decent amount in the NHL," Iginla said. “It was a thrill but I know I couldn't do it nearly enough without playing with some of the great players that I got to play with and some of the great play-makers as well.”
Iginla’s last game was April 9, 2017 for the Los Angeles Kings against the Anaheim Ducks and the 1,300th point in 1,554 regular-season games was also an assist.
“I played for five organizations and each one was an honour. It was a great privilege and a great adventure for our family and I,” said Iginla, while thanking, “the whole hockey community. It’s been great to be apart of.”
Iginla spent last season recuperating from a hip resurfacing procedure, preventing him from vying for another NHL contract as a free agent while longing for one last shot at a Stanley Cup that eluded him since the magical 2004 run that ended with a Game 7 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“It was so special to be with that group of guys that we had ... We had so much fun together,” said Iginla, who fought Vincent Lecavalier in one of the most memorable highlights of the final. “It was a special year. It was the first year we made the playoffs in a long time.”
Iginla’s signature moment was perhaps the primary assist on Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.
“That final game, the way it went, we were up a goal and we were counting down time; you're not supposed to but you are. It's about a minute left and you’re holding on to this lead and the U.S. scores against us in the final and now we’ve got to go back into the room, regroup and it's pretty quiet (but then) the guys started getting it going again. You're trying to manage those nerves and that anxiety and that energy in the building but we know when we go back out there no matter what happens in that period we're going to remember it for the rest of our lives and thankfully it went the right way. Crosby scores, we’re grown men throwing our gloves off, hugging each other, screaming, and the way the city and the country reacted, that is a memory I will never, ever forget.”
Iginla, who was joined at the retirement ceremony by family and friends, thanked his mom and dad, Susan and Elvis, and late grandparents, Rick and Fran Schuchard, for their devotion.
“You guys were so instrumental in giving me love of sports and competing, always loving me and encouraging me and supporting me no matter what. I never played a bad game in their eyes. They truly never, ever told me I played a bad game. I really appreciate that because I know I did.”
Iginla also touched on the love of his life, wife Kara, ”She’s been with me the whole way, the whole journey,” and “my wonderful kids” – daughter Jude and sons Tij and Joe. “I know you would love me to play forever but I look forward to being home and coaching you and many nights of Fortnite, moderation though.”
“I’m excited for retirement to be with my family,” he added,” but I will miss it, so many great memories.”
Iginla’s parting words were for the next generation of hockey players.
“If there are any kids out there who are close and competing and wanting to make it, the sacrifices are worth it. I assure you they are. Work as hard as you can. Give it your best. It’s a wonderful, wonderful game to be a part of all the way through.”
